"Haaaa," Ichigo breathed heavily as his hand immediately went to his stomach as his head went from side to side and he saw…

He was... that he was in the exact same place that had first appeared in this world, he wasn't in the Loot house any longer.

And he was no longer dead with guts sprawled out.

He was alive…

And back where he started, the late afternoon sun hanging in the sky.

Was that? Was that a vision of the future? Ichigo thought to himself as a hand went down to his stomach where the phantom pain still remained. So if that was the case it was a very perfect vision of the future.

And if that was the case, then Ichigo knew what he needed to do to save everybody.

And with that thought Ichigo began to run through the streets of the city shoving past people as he needed to get to the slums.

But Ichigo was a bit too occupied in his thoughts so it was only inevitable that he would run straight into a person.

Which he did.

"Oof!" Came the sound from the person Ichigo had run into, as the two of them landed on the ground.

"Sorry," Ichigo apologized as he stood up as did the other man, who in Ichigo's opinion was dressed in a rather fancy outfit with a sword at his hips. He actually kinda looked like a knight in Ichigo's opinion. And he wore white better than Ishida did.

"No it is my fault, I was not seeing where I was walking," The scarlet haired man said as dusted himself off, after getting back up himself.

"No it was mine, sorry running into you but I need to get going…" Ichigo said but stopped as he obviously did not know this guy's name.

"Reinhard," Reinhard answered as if he had read Ichigo's mind.

"Ichigo, sorry for running into you Reinhard, but I have somewhere I need to get quick," Ichigo said as he set off again.

Not hearing what the red-head had said after he had done so.

And so Ichigo ran and ran moving through the city, arriving in the slums and set off to find the Loot House.

Though as Ichigo arrived in front of the shoddy building he realized that he might have gotten here too early as he in that… vision wandered around for half an hour before he had encountered Lia.

So that might meant Felt had not gotten back to Old Man Rom.

But to confirm that he needed to go inside.

Ichigo went and knocked on the door.

But there was no response.

Ichigo knocked again.

Again no response.

Ichigo sighed at that.

"Not home… damn," Ichigo cursed as he went and sat down beside the door.

As there was only one thing to do now and that was wait for Felt to show up.

"Hey who the hell are you?" Ichigo heard a young voice say and his eyes fluttered open as he had dozed off a little.

And Ichigo saw a familiar inappropriately clad girl standing in front of him.

It was Felt.

"Somebody who has business with you," Ichigo said as he stood up which made Felt take a step back, a hand going to her back where Ichigo could see the hilt of a knife.

"Not… I just need to talk to you about the thing you just stole," Ichigo said.

"Oh you're another customer?" She asked in surprise as she returned to a non-aggressive position.

"Yeah you could call me that," Ichigo replied, deciding to be vague until he got inside and demanded Lia's Insignia back.

"Great then come inside and let me hear your bid, man I didn't think that it was that big a deal," Ichigo heard Felt mutter as she went up to the door and gave it a knock along with…

Right of course there was a passcode.

Ichigo felt like an idiot now for not realizing that earlier.

The door opened and in its frame stood a gigantic man by human standards but Ichigo had actually seen a few Shinigami that had been bigger than him.

Though as Ichigo stared at him for a brief second his body was over layed with a near replica of it by slumped and the jaw missing.

But it quickly vanished.

"Welcome back Felt and who is this?" He asked cautiously as he stared at Ichigo.

"A potential customer," Felt said. "Wanna give a bid on something I stole."

"I see, then come in," Old Man Rom spoke as he exited the door frame and he and Felt entered the Loot house.

Which looked like a cross between a warehouse and a bar.

"The name is Rom the owner of this place, so you better behave while you're here," The old man said in a threatening tone of voice.

"I will," Ichigo replied. As he currently was he could tell the old man would kick his ass flat if he tried shit.

"So what is your bid for the thing? It better be good as the starting bid is ten sacred gold coins buddy," Felt stated as they took a seat at one of the tables.

"I don't have any bid," Ichigo said which caused Felt and Rom to blink in sheer confusion.

"What! What do you mean you don't have a bid?" Felt asked.

"That I don't, I just want you to give me what you stole, so I can give it back," Ichigo said with a matter of fact tone.

"As if… shit are you a guard?" Felt asked which made both her and Rom tense.

"No, just preventing you from going through something stupid, like do you know what you stole actually is?" Ichigo asked as he thought properly explaining what Felt had stolen and how much of a big deal it was.

"Yeah it's just an insignia, rich girl can get a new one," Felt stated.

"She probably can't as that is a very special insignia that signifies her as a candidate for the throne," Ichigo explained to the girl that was probably the same age as his sisters. Which was making his big brother instincts kick in.

"Really this thing?" Felt asked in shock as she pulled it out and…

Ichigo could see the gemstone in the center light up with a soft red glow.

And he remembered Vision Lia's words about its glow signifying someone as a candidate.

That can't be good. Ichigo thought. "So yeah I am going to need it back, you seem like a smart and resourceful kid Felt and I don't want to mess up your life by telling Lord Roswall," Ichigo said using the name that Lia had mentioned hoping it was an important enough name to convince Felt to give the Insignia to him.

But while it seemed that Felt didn't know who this Roswall guy was, going by her lack of reaction to its mention. Old Man Rom did as Ichigo saw his face go a bit pale as soon as it left Ichigo's lips.

"Felt give it to him," Rom stated.

"Huh why?" The girl asked.

"I will explain later, but if that man… well it will end badly for us," Rom spoke with a fearful tone.

Felt looked at the giant man who just shook his head resulting in Felt just letting out a sigh of disappointment. "Damn and here I thought I would make bank today, that lady would give me ten sacred gold for this thing."

"Wait, you were asked to steal it?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah," Felt responded as she stared at the glowing Insignia.

And with that Ichigo came to a realization that the one that had killed Vision Rom and Felt was the one that had asked her to steal the Insignia. And with how important that thing was it was probably to not have any loose ends.

It was clear to him that Felt was just an innocent pawn in a grand political game as there were probably people who wanted to take Lia out of the Selection without it being too obvious. For Ichigo had read enough Shakespeare and Song of Ice and Fire books to know Medieval Politics were even more brutal than 21st century politics.

And they would probably get killed soon, as Ichigo could see that the light of the sun was getting more and more orange.

"My, my that is sad to hear you won't take my offer," A seductive voice spoke, emanating with clear bloodlust to Ichigo's ears.

It was a voice he had heard before.

It was the voice of the woman that had killed him in the vision.

Though now Ichigo finally had a good look at her, she was dressed in a rather provocative dress that showed off her stomach and cleavage. A red and brown cloak was on her shoulders. And her purple eyes looked at them with unrestrained desire to kill and slaughter them.

"Yeah, I am not getting involved in anything that would fuck us over," Felt stated as she clenched the insignia in her hand that glowed through it.

And the killer saw that and let out a sigh. "I definitely have to kill you now."

And at that she moved.

And Ichigo did too.

And this time he was much more prepared as his hand reached out and stopped her extended hand and the blade it held from running through Felt.

"My aren't you strong," The psychopath said and Ichigo immediately kicked her in the stomach as long buried battle instincts rose to the surface.

"And you are crazy," Ichigo said back as he watched her play with her blade not taking out the second one.

"Felt run!" Old Man Rom shouted as he jumped back over the counter having gone over it during their scuffle to grab… that is a very big club.

"Lambs to the slaughter," The killer smiled as she leapt at them, and Rom struck first, the giant of a man swinging his club like it was a small stick with such force the air was pushed- which was pretty respectable for a living person.

And Ichigo assisted, his fists and kicks keeping her off balance, preventing her from drawing her secondary weapon.

And they managed to keep up their impromptu teamwork for a good minute as he lacked a weapon and Ichigo knew if he tried to go for one of the swords that hung on the wall Rom would die in short order.

But then the old man made a mistake. He had over reached and Ichigo's out of shape human body had not been fast enough to trip her up.

So the crazy woman slipped past the attack and Ichigo watched as the man's guts were spilled all over the floor.

"Old Man! You bitch!" Felt shouted as she drew her knife and then… vanished? Ichigo for a moment had thought she had used Shunpo, but the flow of wind told him it was not.

"Divine Protection!" The killer exclaimed in shock and Ichigo immediately took advantage of her confusion and restrained her from behind.

"You-" She did not get the chance to speak further as Felt reappeared and thrust her blade into her heart.

Killing her in an instant.

Ichigo let out a sigh of relief as he felt the body go limp in his grip and he dropped the body to the floor.

"Old man," He heard Felt say as she stood beside the downed giant's body. Ichigo could tell that she was crying.

"Hey," Ichigo said as he squatted beside her. "I know that things might seem dark, that you think that this was your fault. But let me tell you it's not, you didn't stab the old man she did, she tricked and used you. So wanna come with me?" Ichigo asked. "I am sure if you give that Insignia back and explain what happened she will help you." For Ichigo knew even from the brief time they had been together in that vision that Lia was a very good person.

"You really think that?" Felt asked.

"I know it," Ichigo replied with certainty in his voice.

"Then… I'll go with you," Felt said as she put her empty hand in his.

"You won't regret it Felt," Ichigo said as they began to leave the Loot House.

Squelsh!

The sound of flesh being split and blood spilling went off like a gunshot inside of the deadly quiet Loot House.

Both Ichigo and Felt looked down at Felt's stomach in shock as they saw the wicked blade that had killed Rom was through it.

And a second later her entire torso was split in two.

"Felt!" Ichigo screamed as he immediately caught her torso.

The girl only gave him a look before he saw the light in her eyes leave her body.

And for a second the image was replaced with that of Yuzu's.

And Ichigo felt his anger surge as he heard the should-be-dead killer speak. "My, her guts are so pretty, will you show me yours next?"

"You," Ichigo said angrily as he took hold of Felt's dagger as he laid her down and stopped up to see the chest wound that Felt had made seal up fully.

"High-speed Regeneration!" Ichigo said in shock at the sight.

"Something like that," The killer replied. "You've been quite an obstacle, so please die and show me your beautiful guts."

"No thank you," Ichigo replied and then they clashed.

And they did again and again.

But Ichigo could tell he was losing to this monster of a woman.

If he just had Zangetsu.

He could have saved both Old Man Rom and Felt so easily.

But what he did have was his ability to understand.

Just like he had truly understood Aizen as they had fought, and now as he fought this killer he understood her more and more.

And now he knew that they were more similar than he liked.

For this was just a job to her.

She was a hired killer.

One that used to do it for pleasure, still did it, but now…

One that also did it to protect someone.

Someone she considered her sister.

To protect her from the wrath of their 'Mother.'

"Damn," Ichigo grunted as blood spilled from his mouth, two knives stabbed in his chest. Why do all the crazy ones have things in common with me? Ichigo thought.

"Hmm, it seems that you lost, carrot top, though you were such a nice partner, would you mind telling me your name?" She asked as wiggled the blades to get more crimson blood to spill.

"Gurgh, Ichigo Kurosaki," He answered. "What is yours?"

"Elsa, it was nice to meet you Ichigo, I will remember the color of your blood for a long, long time," Elsa said as Ichigo felt his vision darken

"Good to know," Ichigo responded as he felt his eyes close.

At least he had managed to save Lia's life.

And would he go to Soul Society?

Those were Ichigo Kurosaki's last thoughts.

…

And then his eyes opened again and Ichigo saw he was back in the exact same spot he had arrived.

Xxx

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